Article summary
The European Patent Office (EPO) has extended its pilot with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) under which the EPO is the International Searching Authority for nationals and residents of the People’s Republic of China who have filed patents in English under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The scheme, which began on 1 December 2020, will last until 30 November 2023 and allow for 3,000 more applications. The scheme aims for participants to have more legal certainty before entering the European phase, faster prosecution, and allow individuals whose international search was carried out by the EPO to request international preliminary examination with the EPO.
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